Voluntary and Fugue III

James Nares was born at Stanwell, Middlesex in 1715. He was a chorister at the Chapel Royal under Croft and Pepusch. After acting as deputy at St. George's Chapel, Windsor, he was appointed to York Minster in January of 1734 at the age of nineteen.

He remained at York until 1756 when he succeeded Maurice Greene as organist and composer of the Chapel Royal. In the same year he graduated Mus. Doc. from Cambridge. His works include a tutor for keyboard, and two settings of the evening canticles (Magnificat & Nunc dimittis), of which the setting in F is still in the repertoire of many cathedrals. His anthem, "The souls of the righteous" is probably his most well-known work. Nares died in 1783 at the age of 68 and is buried in St. Margaret's, Westminster.

"Voluntary and Fugue III" is a typical "ceremonial" work, with a grand Prelude and a "snappy" (and tricky!) fugue.